Cipher (The Cipher Series)

by Cindi Madsen

  “That seems to be happening a lot.”

  Yeah, you’re telling me. Since she could tell this conversation was about to go downhill, she decided to hurry up and get out of it. “I’ll see you tomorrow, Kendall. I’m sure you’re party’s going to be a blast.”

  Summer climbed in her car and started home. As she buzzed down the familiar road, she turned up her music, letting Three Days Grace transport her to somewhere else for a while. It’s going to be okay. I can figure it out for Ashlyn.

  For Ashlyn…

  Blue and red lights flashed behind her, and Summer automatically glanced at the speedometer. In her hurry to get home, she hadn’t been paying attention to how fast she was going. Groaning, she pulled her car to the side of the road.

  Stupid cop, ruining her Three Days Grace bliss.

  “Ugh, could this day get any worse!” she yelled at her dashboard. She grabbed her purse off her seat and dug through it for her driver’s license.

  The police officer moseyed over to her car and motioned for her to roll down her window. When he leaned down and looked at her, he had a scowl on his face. “Turn down your music.”

  Summer lowered her eyebrows. “That’s why you pulled me over? It’s not even that loud.”

  “No,” the cop said, irritation filling his words. “Turn it down so you can hear me.”

  Since she doubted saying she could hear him just fine would be helpful, she silenced her tunes. She handed him her driver’s license, not really knowing how this was supposed to go. Dad followed the law to the letter, so he never got pulled over. Already, Summer could hear the lecture he was going to give her when he found out she’d been speeding.

  The cop studied her license. “I also need to see your registration and proof of insurance.”

  She turned to get her papers out of the glove box.

  Gabriella materialized in her passenger seat, and Summer threw her hand over her heart. “Holy crap you scared me! What are you doing here?”

  “You were speeding,” the cop said.

  Summer turned her attention back to the uniformed officer. “Oh, not…” She trailed off, not knowing how to finish without making things worse. She shot him a quick smile, then reached for glove box again.

  “Be careful,” Gabriella said. “You better tell him what you’re doing so he doesn’t think you’re reaching for a weapon.”

  “Why would I have a weapon?”

  “What did you say?” The cop asked, tensing.

  Summer’s pulse quickened as she saw his hand hovering over his gun. “I said registration. I’m trying to remember where my dad said my registration is. I think it’s in the glove box, so I’m going to get it.”

  “Do you have a weapon in the car?”

  “No. Well, I have some mace.” And the woman who’s responsible for sending people to their deaths. Does that count? “My dad makes me carry it, but don’t worry, I won’t use it on you.”

  “I strongly suggest you don’t. You better keep your movements slow.”

  Summer wanted to tell Gabriella to get out of here before she made things worse. Since she couldn’t talk to her without looking crazy, though, Summer reached past the Angel of Death and retrieved the necessary papers.

  “Here you go.” Summer handed the information to the cop. She smiled up at him again, trying to soften him. It didn’t have the desired effect.

  He gave her a stern look and then headed back to his car.

  “I don’t think that went very well,” Gabriella said, shaking her head and then pursing her lips. “Getting grounded right now would be a detriment to your job. You can’t afford any time not working on Ashlyn.”

  Summer frowned. “It’s not like I meant to get pulled over. And I think things would’ve gone much better if I wasn’t talking to an invisible person while he was here. I said weapon with an armed cop right outside my window. Is this how I’m going to die?”

  “I can’t change the past,” Gabriella said. “We need to focus on the problem at hand.”

  “So, you think my dad’s going to ground me?”

  “That’s why I decided to pop in, even though I really don’t have time for it. So, instead of getting all dramatic and defensive with your dad—like you always do with me—explain your bad day. Tell him that you realize how dangerous speeding can be, and promise you’ll pay better attention to keep it from happening again.” Gabriella nodded to herself. She looked even more out of place in Summer’s car than she did in her bedroom. “Yes, I think that’ll work.”

  “You haven’t already seen the future conversation all played out?”

  “Don’t be silly. I don’t see the future; I’m going off a hunch. My hunches are reliable, though.”

  “I think this is the most helpful you’ve been.” Summer leaned back in her seat. “Of course, you might be wrong.”

  “Oh, Summer Dear, you always know exactly what to say to make me feel like a failure at a job I’ve done for… Well, longer than I care to admit.”

  “Sorry.” Summer’s gaze flicked to the rearview mirror, then back to Gabriella. “You seem kinda sensitive for someone who delivers death sentences on a daily basis.”

  “Oh, you think when I was a little girl I dreamed of spending eternity doing this? That I was like, that’ll be such fun, delivering messages of imminent death and dragging souls away from their bodies? I assure you, I didn’t. But ordinarily I do a pretty good job of it. If you saw the big picture, you’d realize that death isn’t the end. I know my job is important, and it’s hard work. Just because I’m used to delivering tough news doesn’t mean my feelings never get hurt.”

  “Again, I’m sorry. I didn’t mean to hurt your feelings. I appreciate the advice about my dad.”

  “Just stay out of trouble. You can’t afford another complication.” Gabriella glanced out the rear window. “Your cop’s coming back with a ticket. It’s too late to talk him out of that one.” She was transparent when she added, “Now, get back to work on Ashlyn.”

  The cop handed Summer a ticket listing damages in the hundred-dollar range, then told her to be safe. Like he actually cared about her safety.

  Summer eased back onto the road and started thinking about what she was going to say to Dad. Convincing him she’d had a bad day shouldn’t be much of a challenge. She had enough ammo on that subject to last for days.

  Chapter Fourteen

  Summer killed her car’s engine and looked over at Ashlyn. “Are you ready?”

  Ashlyn shook her head. The whole drive to Kendall’s, she’d tried talking Summer out of going to the party. Since she was already on Kendall’s blacklist, though, skipping the party wasn’t an option. In fact, she felt lucky Gabriella’s advice had worked so well—that she hadn’t gotten grounded. Dad had been surprisingly understanding about the speeding ticket, only giving a short-by-his-standards, ten-minute spiel on safety on the road before letting her off with a warning.

  “Come on. It’ll be fun once we get inside.” Taking a deep breath to calm her nerves, Summer exited the car. Witnessing Cody and Jenna making out all week had been gut-wrenching. Being forced into tight quarters with them would make the awkwardness almost impossible to avoid.

  Music filled the air, getting louder the closer she and Ashlyn got to the house. Summer knew it was supposed to be a small party. Judging by the cars around the house and the noise coming from inside, it looked like it had already gotten out of control.

  Without bothering with the doorbell, Summer walked in, Ashlyn trailing behind her. Kendall’s platinum hair caught her eye.

  “Happy Birthday!” Summer thrust the silver-wrapped box into Kendall’s hands—earrings she’d not-so-subtly pointed out. “Kendall, this is Ashlyn. Ashlyn, Kendall.”

  The two regarded each other with a slight nod. Neither bothered with the usual nice-to-meet-you-type comments.

  Jack walked up behind Kendall and wrapped his arms around her. He looked over her head at Summer. “What’s up, Summer? Long time no see.”<
br />
  “Yeah, it’s been a little crazy lately.”

  They stood there for an awkward moment, everyone staring at each other. A new group showed up at the door, and Summer led Ashlyn into the living room. People filled the room, music blared, and some girl she didn’t recognize was already on the brink of passing out. So, par for the course.

  “Hey, what’s that par for the course saying about?” Summer asked Ashlyn.

  “Golf or something,” Ashlyn said. “But I always hear people talking under or over par. So what exactly is par? I mean from the saying I know it means normal, but why don’t people just say, ‘That’s normal, yo?’”

  Summer laughed. She loved that Ashlyn simply took up the conversation, not needing to know why Summer was asking, or where it came from. Or even giving her a you’re-such-a-weirdo look. “I never understood golf. I just know it’s the most boring of the sports to watch on TV.”

  “My mother doesn’t consider it a sport because there’s not enough cardio.”

  Okay, I need to say something about this. Something helpful. “At least you don’t have to watch it, then, right? And you don’t have any golf magazines shoved at you, so…win?”

  Ashlyn wrinkled her forehead—so apparently that topic change was too much of a stretch.

  “Hey, Summer,” Matt, a guy from the football team, said as he lifted his red cup. He looked at Ashlyn, and a smile spread across his face. “Aren’t you in my Spanish class?”

  “Sí,” Ashlyn said.

  He laughed like it was the funniest thing he’d ever heard, then thrust out his hand. “Me llamo Matt. It’s Ashlyn, right?”

  Ashlyn took his hand but didn’t say anything, so Summer decided to step in. “Ashlyn and I just came to party it up. We’re having a blast.” Overstatement, but girls having fun were easier to flirt with.

  Matt nodded, his gaze never leaving Ashlyn. “Cool, cool.”

  Come on, you can flirt better than that, can’t you, Matt? Ashlyn was smiling back, and there was definitely a spark. So Summer decided to give them some space, hoping that’d help Matt’s verbal skills. She circled the party, saying a quick “hey” or “what’s up?” to people she knew. The girls on the squad ignored her in that way that made it clear she was purposely being ignored.

  Great. So glad I came so everyone can hate on me. At least Ashlyn and Matt are still talking. Tonight won’t be a total waste.

  “Hey, Summer,” Lexi said. “Nice guest. At least you didn’t bring those nerdy twins, but seriously, what’s up with you hanging out with that Ashley girl all the time? You know it bugs Kendall.”

  “It’s Ashlyn, actually, and I brought her because she’s smart, funny, and not a backstabber.”

  Lexi scrunched up her eyebrows. “Are you saying I’m a backstabber?”

  Bringing her hand up to her chest and acting shocked, Summer said, “Of course not. But if the shoe fits, we all know you’ll wear it.”

  Lexi took a step forward, completely breaching Summer’s personal space. “If you want to say something, say it. No one understands the way you ramble on and on and talk in code.”

  “I said what I wanted to say.” Summer shot her a grin, turned, and walked away. Fueling the hate-Summer-fire probably wasn’t the best idea, but she refused to let Lexi’s slam on her friends slide.

  She ducked into the kitchen to get some water and take a few minutes to regroup. Then she’d circle back to check on Ashlyn and Matt. She downed a glass of water and then set it in the sink, trying to amp herself up for getting back to the party. It shouldn’t be so difficult to go join her so-called friends. Somewhere along the way, though, several of her friends had turned hostile.

  “Hey, Summer.” His familiar voice washed over her, sending a pang through her chest.

  “Cody.” Part of her wanted to bolt, but she turned to face him and stood her ground.

  For a moment, they just stared at each other. Cody put his hand on the counter right next to her, tracing the groove of the sink with his finger. “Kendall’s family really went all out, buying stuff for a party they’re not even allowed to attend.”

  “She wouldn’t stand for anything less,” Summer said. They shared a smile, then she searched for something else to say. It was so weird being here with him, working so hard on something that used to come so easily. “So, um, how’s football going?”

  “Coach has got us working some killer plays. We’re going to be unstoppable if we figure out how to pull them off.”

  “Well, good luck with that.”

  Somehow their bodies had gotten closer and closer, until there was hardly space between them at all. Cody looked around—they were still alone—then slid his hand from the counter to her hip. “I miss you.”

  A giant lump lodged in her throat. She missed him, too. Missed the security she felt around him. Missed having a boyfriend. Especially yesterday, when everything had fallen apart. Then she remembered why she couldn’t call him. How painful it’d been watching him and Jenna make out all week. She looked up into his baby blue eyes and told herself to be strong. “What about Jenna?”

  His head wobbled side to side, as if he was hoping to knock loose the answer. “Certain aspects of being with Jenna are nice.”

  “Yeah, I’ll bet.” Like the fact she goes all the way.

  Cody’s fingers blazed a warm trail around her hip to her back. “But I don’t love Jenna.” He leaned in, and she knew she should stop him before he kissed her. Instead, she stood there, watching his lips come closer, everything going in slow motion.

  “Summer! There you are!” Ashlyn charged across the room and grabbed Summer’s hand, tugging her away from Cody. “Kendall’s looking for you.”

  Ashlyn pulled her out of the kitchen, past several making-out couples and one girl puking into a planter. She finally came to a stop at a semi-deserted corner of the living room. “Why don’t you say goodbye to your friends and then we’ll go back to my place?”

  “What about Matt?” Summer asked. “I thought you two hit it off.”

  “He got my number, and I’ll see him at school. I think it’s time to go, though. Before either of us does something we’ll regret.”

  Summer nodded, catching her meaning. Jenna was looking around, most likely in search of Cody, and Summer felt like an idiot. Cody just wanted the best of both worlds—the hard- and easy-to-get girls.

  Summer shoved her way through the crowd to get to Kendall, who was lecturing a boy who’d spilled his drink on the white couch. The second she finished, he darted away, eyes wide with terror.

  Summer tapped Kendall’s shoulder. “Happy Birthday. It’s a great party, but Ashlyn and I have got to get going.”

  “Already? You barely got here and I need”—Kendall darted a glance at Ashlyn—“my best friend here at my party. You’ve gotta help me make sure all these people don’t trash the place.”

  Summer bit back a retort about how she didn’t want to police the party, and put her hand over her stomach. “I’m not feeling very good. But I’ll call you later, okay?”

  Kendall’s scowl deepened. A hissy fit was coming on, simmering just under the surface.

  Trying to diffuse it, Summer leaned in and hugged her. “You look fabulous. Enjoy your party. I’ll call for all the details tomorrow afternoon.”

  Summer checked to make sure she still had Ashlyn with her. They plowed a path to the front door and hurried out of the house. As they walked to the car, Summer started thinking how close she came to doing something stupid with Cody. How many times did she have to run through the cycle to stop making the same mistake? “Thanks for swooping in for the save back there. I guess I was having a weak moment.”

  “No problem,” Ashlyn said. “I was afraid you’d be mad, but I just know how I felt when I wasn’t strong enough. Back when I was facing the same situation, I wish I would’ve been strong like you.”

  “I’m not strong. The fight we had the night we broke up had to be at least the tenth major blow out about sex. A few n
ights before, he left me at Jack’s house when I pushed him away. I thought I was done then, but I still took him back. I almost let him kiss me tonight.”

  “Well, that’s why you brought me along, right?”

  “Right. Because you’re strong. Because I knew I could count on you.” Summer unlocked the car and they climbed in. “So, uh, the guy you were talking about? You wanna talk about it?”

  “Not even a little bit.”

  Summer nodded, knowing what it was like to not want to be pushed on a subject.

  “We could go try to catch a few waves,” Ashlyn suggested. “We’d just have to swing by my place and get my gear first. You can use my long board and old wetsuit like you did the other morning.”

  “Let’s do it.” Immediately, Summer thought about Troy and the promise she’d made to call him next time she planned on going into the water. Her fingers itched to grab the phone and dial his number. Too bad they were still in a fight for reasons she couldn’t quite figure out.

  ***

  Summer woke up and tried to get her bearings. It took a couple seconds to remember that she’d crashed at Ashlyn’s last night. Dad had sounded surprised when she’d called and asked to spend the night—probably because she hadn’t had a sleep over for years.

  Her stiff muscles screamed at her as she rolled to her side. “I’m sore everywhere,” she groaned.

  Ashlyn sat up and covered a yawn with her hand. “Those waves were brutal, that’s for sure.”

  “And I spent all my time trying to get on my board. Just in time to get knocked right back into the water.”

  Ashlyn rolled her neck from side to side. “Let’s go get some breakfast. I’m starving.”

  They headed to the kitchen, where the smell of food filled the air. Pamela stood at the stove. “Summer, do you want one or two egg whites?”

  “Whites?”

  “Yes, you can buy all whites.” Pamela lifted a carton that looked like it was for drinking and most definitely not something eggs should come in. “The yolk has all the fat and cholesterol.” She motioned to the plate on the table. “Ashlyn, I already made you a spinach omelet with two whites, the way you like it.”